Akiko Aratani and Raymond Epp, Mennonite Mission Network associates in Japan, since 2007, have lived their faith through sustainable practices in faith and farming.
It’s lambing season at Menno Village, a farm in Hokkaido, Japan. The flock of sheep, which will soon swell to 100 head, has been rebuilding soil fertility in the degraded and compacted rice fields through an adaptive grazing system.
This year the sheep have another job: to produce wool that will be used as insulation in a new retreat building — Hitsuji House. Hitsuji, the word for sheep in the Japanese language, symbolizes not just an educational space about sheep but also a spiritual journey with the Good Shepherd, explains Raymond Epp, who, alongside his wife Akiko Aratani, has nurtured this land for 30 years, is their vision for the next phase of their lives.
Building soil and community in Hokkaido
Since its inception, Menno Village thrives as more than a farm; it embodies a mission driven by the ethos to, as Epp put it, “witness to the liberating work of God by creating a culture of peace that seeks to liberate all humanity and all creation.” In this context, liberation means breaking free from the grip of industrial markets, especially in food and construction materials.
Families in Aratani’s home church in Sapporo pooled their resources to purchase an 80-acre farm in 1995, half of it forested, envisioning a retirement village where ministers could live communally and grow their own food.
The fields remain covered with vegetation year-round to build soil. Soil carbon levels have increased along with numbers of beneficial insects and animals. The below-ground biodiversity improvement has led to an elimination of chemicals and fertilizers for our grain crops and an increase in sheep health and productivity.
Japan’s first CSA program
To get the farm running, members of the Sapporo church invited Aratani and Epp to move to Hokkaido from Nebraska, where they pioneered the first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in the state.
Getting started wasn’t easy. The farm lay in disrepair with depleted soil — challenges compounded by Epp’s lack of Japanese language skills. “I knew no language, I knew nothing about the climate and the soils,” Epp said. Thankfully, local farmers stepped in, becoming his mentors in the new agricultural landscape.
Soon, Epp and Aratani pioneered Japan’s first CSA program providing subscribers with not only fresh vegetables, rice, flour, eggs, and bread, but also with newsletters sharing their approach to agriculture.
Their work has expanded into advocacy, addressing critical issues like trade policies, seed laws, and GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Epp has published articles, attended meetings, and joined conversations on these issues.
“I haven’t sought out trying to be politically relevant or popular,” Epp said. “(But) I just can’t be silent.”
His commitment shone through in 2005 during a televised discussion where he opposed GMO grains, driven by his love for traditional Japanese agriculture. His stance was highlighted in the documentary “The Big Choice: Which Road Do We Choose?”
Epp said, “Genetically modified grains have not been introduced into Japan.” Did he have a role in that? “Yeah, I think there’s a role that Christians have in discerning and exposing issues that are of political consequence.”
Epp said he feels that “Christians have an important role to play in preserving the life of the world, discerning those forces and pointing to the way in which God intends human beings to live in relationship to one another and the world around them.”
In 2007, Aratani and Epp joined Mennonite Mission Network as mission associates. Epp values the broader church connection, “It’s crucial to share our experiences and knowledge.”
Passing stewardship to the next generation
As they contemplate their future roles, Aratani and Epp face personal challenges, with Aratani battling breast cancer for the second time. This has led to a shift in focus towards health and a new way of sharing their produce – inviting subscribers to pick their own while encouraging them into a deeper connection with the land and learning regenerative farming practices.
The farm’s stewardship is transitioning to two of their adult sons.
Their eldest son Kazutomo and his wife Mai dream of starting a bakery that will use produce from the farm. And their second, Yohei, has taken the lead in working with the family’s livestock, especially the sheep.
“He has this sense with animals that is incredible,” Epp said. Aratani added, “It’s fun to watch. Visitors come and are just amazed.”
As Aratani and Epp step back from farming, they will put more energy into teaching in the regenerative agriculture education program they started last year, along with spiritual teachings at Hitsuji House retreat center, envisioned as a sanctuary for hospitality, prayer, and refuge.
Built with support from Mission Network, the retreat center, where Aratani and Epp plan to live once it’s completed, will be separated from the rest of the farm.
Straw bales made on-site and timber from local cedar and pine trees will provide the main support for the structure. A call is out for Mission Network SOOP (Service Opportunities with Our Partners) volunteers to help with the construction.
“We always extend invitations for people to come and stay at Menno Village,” Epp said, “so if people are curious or wanting to learn more, we welcome visitors from North America.”
